This post was written as part of The Breastfeeding Cafe's Carnival. For more info on the Breastfeeding Cafe, go to www.breastfeedingcafe.wordpress.com. For more info on The Carnival or if you want to participate, contact Claire at clindstrom2 {at} gmail {dot} com. Today's post is about Importance of Breastfeeding. Please read the other blogs in today's carnival listed below and check back for more posts July 18th through the 31st!
I wrote a post earlier this year about Why I Chose To Breastfeed and it sums up my feelings on breastfeeding really well.
To me, breastfeeding is a necessity of nature, it's the way God intended our breasts to be used. To feed our children. It is the best nutrition we can give our babes. It contains everything they can ever need, it's the perfect temperature, it changes as they grow, it senses when they need antibodies for a particular illness, and it contains no artificial ingredients.
For me, it's the best option for growing and nurturing my child. Breastfeeding allows us time to bond. As we stare into each others eyes taking a break from whatever else is going on in life, we know that all is right in our special time. Goober Pie knows that he will be fed. That he is taken care of and well loved. And trust me, he LOVES his Milkies. At 13 months, he still eats every 2-3 hours most days.
I also believe that breastfeeding is giving my child the best start to his life. Breastfeeding can reduce allergies and asthma and can also continue to provide vital antibodies into toddlerhood.
Breastfeeding also plays a vital role in the life of my child by everything I've mentioned above. Plus, he gets the benefit of having his food on demand, whenever he wants it, wherever he wants it. No waiting for bottles to be made, mixed and warmed. And if he falls down and hurts himself, (like he's very prone to doing now since he just started walking) he knows he can come to Mama and nurse for comfort. He knows it's part of his bedtime routine: bath, get ready for bed, tell Dada night night, and nurse to sleep. He knows he can suckle to sleep and nap in my arms anytime during the day. And he knows that even when I'm dead dog tired in the middle of the night, I will wake up to feed him! Nice life, huh?
Breastfeeding is as equally important to my family. Not only to my husband, who gets to play, comfort, and entertain Goober Pie without the hassle of formula and bottles, it's important that I breastfeed in front of everyone. To show that it CAN be done appropriately, without a cover, and that it's not gross, but completely natural and an act of love between Mother and child. No one in my family has ever said anything negative about me breastfeeding. Everyone understands and supports my decision. And I really appreciate that!
Breastfeeding is so important to my community. Everywhere I go, every time I nurse in public, I am seeking to normalize the act of nursing in public. To show that I have NO shame in the way I've chosen to feed my child. To show that a baby CAN be breastfeed anywhere, any place, and anytime! The greater population ofAmerica is so focused on the sexual functionality of breasts that they can't see the beauty for which they were made: feeding your children. Some think it's revolting. Disgusting. Vile. Sexual. Perverted. The list of negative connotations associated with breastfeeding go on and on. But as I nurse in public, I may be able to show some that it's not negative at all. That I don't get any sexual feelings breastfeeding my child. If you've ever been bitten, you know that's QUITE the opposite of what you feel. And I can seek to show the public that I can breastfeed my son without using a cover and not exposing myself to them. I know not everyone wants to see my breast. Believe me, it's not something I WANT to put on display for the public. I'm not a "whip-it-out" type of feeder. But if YOU are, more power to you!! I believe that we should not judge fellow breastfeeding Mothers. How they choose to breastfeed, how long they choose to breastfeed. It is a Mother and child's choice and ONLY their choice to make. Not mine. Not yours. I hope that our community will continue to grow towards seeing more breastfeeding in public, and that the attitude will change to one of respect for the breastfeeding community. One that will thank Mothers for nursing their babies and giving the best possible start to life. One that will consider breastfeeding themselves one day when they are a Mother. One that will do away with laws that we have to protect breastfeeding Mothers because it won't be an issue anywhere anymore.
If you are a fellow breastfeeding Mother, kudos to you and all your babe(s) that you have nurtured! Thank you for seeing breastfeeding as important! Keep up the good work!
Here are more posts by the Breastfeeding Cafe Carnival participants! Check back because more will be added throughout the day.
- Sylko @ Chaotic Mama—Breastfeeding Carnival: Importance of Breastfeeding
- Sara @ The Covered Wagon—Nursing a Food Allergic Child
- Shelly @ Lousy Mom—Importance of breastfeeding
- Timbra @ Bosoms & Babes—The best non-decision I ever made
- Shary @ Mama Fish—Why Breast Milk is Best
- Claire @ The Adventures of Lactating Girl—I Breastfeed For Me
- Lauren @ Hobo Mama—Why breastfeeding is important
- Kate @ KateIsFun—The Importance of Breastfeeding
- Kaitlin Rose @ Bring Birth Home—Breastfeeding Came Naturally
- Brooke @ Milk Maid Mamma—Why I Chose to Breastfeed
- Lexi @ Life as a Mommy—Special Bonds
- Whitney @ According to Waddlebug:The (Un)Balancing act of Motherhood—Importance of Breastfeeding
- Natasha @ naturalurbanmama—Importance of Breastfeeding:X-men and Faberge Shampoo
- Shelly @ Lousy Mom—Wheat allergies and working
- And of course the guest poster on the Breastfeeding Cafe’s Blog today is Jen Karsbaek—Breastfeeding Helps Me Love My Son
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